SECRET
por Conspit Derpt (en)
rom The Ambassador
012/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
- 4 OCT 1993
Robin McLaren
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
British Embassy Peking
By facsimile
MJ Dinham Esq
Government House Hong Kong
29 September 1993
Copn the Wran
Сори
Mvm
29/9
I Hank.
Well-judged bruk.
(The Medgehog her alreeden
I understand)
gane
2. M
Ménis
3019
Mill Sang 3+/5
Dear Martin,
GOVERNOR'S 1993 LEGCO ADDRESS
1.
Many thanks for letting me have a sight of the
Dzara
latest draft of the China-related parts of the Governor's address. My copy of your faxed letter of 27 September to Peter Ricketts only arrived late yesterday afternoon; hence the delay in replying.
2.
First, may I say that in general I found this an admirable and well-balanced draft which covers the necessary ground very well. For good reasons the passages devoted to China, and relations to China are more extensive
But than in any previous Governor's address I can recall. most of these passages are couched in language to which the Chinese would find it difficult to take serious exception; and there are some passages they should welcome.
3.
But we are not living in a sensible world.
so my second general point is that given the events of the past year, and the Governor's need to have regard for his political constituencies in Hong Kong and Westminster as well as for Chinese sensitivities, the Chinese official machine would be likely to mount a propaganda offensive against almost anything he might say about current China-related issues in his address. I am quite certain that they will do so whatever amendments are made co the current draft. Nonetheless, I assume that one of the Governor's aims is to avoid handing the Chinese sticks with which to beat us, or excuses to break off the talks while pinning the blame on the British. It is in this spirit that we have looked at the address, bearing in mind not only the importance of individual points but also their cumulative effect.
SECRET